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Two halves of a sandwich stacked on another, filled with tuna salad and lettuce.
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Matthew McConaughey Tuna Salad

This viral tuna salad recipe comes from the kitchen of self-proclaimed “tuna fish salad mastermaker” Matthew McConaughey. It’s a twist on the typical tuna salad recipe, featuring unique ingredients like corn, peas, and crispy jalapenos. The mayonnaise-based dressing has a delicious mix of tangy (lemon), spicy (wasabi), and a hint of sweet (agave). Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 613kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise or more as desired
  • 1 Tbsp. wasabi paste or a touch more if you like the spice
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. vinegar white wine vinegar, red wine, or champagne vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. agave syrup or honey
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian dressing

Salad:

  • 4 cans good quality tuna (like wild planet or safe catch) drained
  • 1 cup crispy jalapeños or 1-2 tbsp jalapeno chili crisp fresh gourmet brand, crushed (leave these on the side if you’re not going to enjoy the salad straight away so they stay fresh and crunchy)
  • ⅓ cup finely minced red onion
  • ¼ cup dill gherkin pickles finely chopped
  • ½ large green apple diced small
  • ½ cup corn fresh or canned
  • ¼ cup frozen peas
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional, for serving:

  • fresh dill
  • sandwich bread
  • butter lettuce leaves
  • sliced tomatoes
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, wasabi, lemon juice, vinegar, agave, and Italian dressing.
    1 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. wasabi paste, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 Tbsp. agave syrup or honey, 1 Tbsp. Italian dressing
    Two images side by side. Left side shows a hand juicing a lemon over a white bowl full of ingredients including mayo, red wine vinegar, and wasabi paste. Right side shows hands holding the bowl and one hand with a whisk, mixing the ingredients.
  • Add the tuna and remaining salad ingredients to a larger mixing bowl.
    4 cans good quality tuna (like wild planet or safe catch), 1 cup crispy jalapeños or 1-2 tbsp jalapeno chili crisp, ⅓ cup finely minced red onion, ¼ cup dill gherkin pickles, ½ large green apple, ½ cup corn, ¼ cup frozen peas, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    White bowl with corn, red onion, frozen peas, chopped gherkin pickles, tuna, and chopped green apple.
  • Add the dressing.
    Two images side by side. Left side shows a bowl with a white dressing being poured over a white bowl with tuna, corn, peas, red onion, and green apple. Right side shows that same bowl with the sauce added and a spoon in the bowl to mix the ingredients.
  • Toss everything well to combine.
    Side by side images of a hand holding a spatula and mixing tuna salad ingredients in a bowl.
  • Taste, and adjust seasonings or mayonnaise according to your preferences.
    fresh dill, Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    White bowl with tuna salad including corn, crispy jalapeno, peas, pickles, and red onion, topped with sprigs of dill.
  • Serve straight away, or cover and chill. Will last for up to 4 days. (Two of my favorite ways to serve this tuna salad is by putting it in a piece of butter lettuce to make a little cup, or between two slices of bread to make a sandwich. But you also can eat it straight from the bowl if desired - whatever your preference is!)
    sandwich bread, butter lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes
    Left side image shows butter lettuce filled with tuna salad and a slice of lemon on the side. Right side image shows thick slices of bread with tuna salad and lettuce in the middle.

Notes

  • If you don't plan on eating the salad when you make it, you may want to hold off on adding the crispy jalapeño pieces in Step 2 and mix them in when you serve the salad. This helps them maintain their crispy texture.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may need to stir the tuna salad again before serving to mix the ingredients again.
  • This recipe as written makes a LOT of salad using 4 cans of tuna. This makes it great for meal prepping, but if you don't want to use that many cans of tuna, locate the "servings" button at the top of the recipe card and adjust it to 1/2.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25of recipe | Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 840mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 528IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg